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The Chuck Brown Project at Chuck Brown Memorial Park

The Chuck Brown Project at Chuck Brown Memorial Park

(Formerly Langdon Park)

Commissioned by the DC Commission on the Arts and Humanities (DCCAH) in partnership with the Executive Office of the Mayor (EOM), the Department of Parks and Recreation and the Department of General Services (DGS).

Request for Proposals

Pursuant of a Memorial Park, the partnering entities request for regional Artists and/or Artist Teams to develop a permanent public art installation, to be implemented during the summer of 2014. The Artist’s work will include the design, fabrication and permanent installation of an artistic element that will be included in the Chuck Brown Memorial Park.

Chuck Brown Background

Charles Louis "Chuck" Brown (August 22, 1936 – May 16, 2012) was an American guitarist and singer who is affectionately called "the Godfather of Go-go." Go-go is a subgenre of funk music developed in and around Washington, D.C. in the mid and late 1970s. While its musical classification influences, and origins are debated with significant contributions from many artists, Brown is regarded as the fundamental force behind the creation of go-go music. The Go-Go beat found its home in Washington. Go-Go bands that followed Brown since the 1970s would take his baton and advance the music carrying Washington, DC’s original sound around the world. The "Godfather of Go-Go” is considered a local legend in Washington, DC.

Project Summary

The purpose of this RFP is to commission an artist or artist team to develop a permanent public art installation that will be installed at Chuck Brown Memorial Park (formerly Langdon Park).

Eligible projects include, but are not limited to: sculpture, statue, creative fence or wall, paving pattern, etc. The public art installation will serve as inspiration and a reminder of the cultural legacy of Go-Go that originated in this city to the residents of the neighborhood community and the broader Washington metropolitan area.

Project Goals

Celebrate Chuck Brown as the inventor of a new musical form; uplift his remembrance and the musicians that continue in his footsteps as a unifier of people, using music and art as an equalizer.

Engineer the public art installation to ensure the work is stable and safely installed.

Craft a public space that celebrates the appreciation of artwork

Promote educational opportunities and enhance community fellowship

Project Description
In developing a permanent public art installation, the artwork must be of sound, safe construction and not fabricated or finished with hazardous materials, be maintenance-free; appropriate for an active pedestrian environment frequented by community members of all ages, and take into consideration the safety of the audience. The artwork should enhance the area and create a unified setting where residents and visitors can experience art and music.

The proposed artwork will be designed to be situated within the yellow triangle area of the site rendering below. Site dimensions are approximately 500 square feet.

Scope of Services

All Applicants will:

Submit an application to include the following:

Application Form

Cover Letter

Resume

1 page Written Design Concept

2-d Schematic Design Concept

Work samples (10 digital images) and Annotated Image List

(3) Professional References

Semi-finalists will be awarded a $1,500 honorarium to achieve the following:

Create a Site-Specific Design Proposal to include:

Site Specific 2-d Schematic Design

3-d Scale Model

Itemized Budget

Implementation Schedule

Project Narrative

Present their site specific proposals to the community and Art Selection Panel. Proposals will be adjudicated on by the Art Selection Panel and one (1) finalist will be selected.

Finalist will:

Be provided with a fabrication budget of $325,500 which must include artists’ fees (no more than 10% of fabrication budget) costs associated with design, fabrication, transportation, shipping, installation, insurance, engineered drawings, permits and photo documentation of the artwork.

Have the opportunity if necessary, revise the Site-Specific Design Concept and present to DCCAH Board for final approval.

Work with the engineer, construction manager and contractors to finalize site-specific drawings and implement the artistic concept.

Secure fabricators and installers and obtain cost estimates as well as develop fabrication and installation schedules.

Work with engineer and DCCAH to determine the best strategy for final documentation (stamped drawings, shop drawings), fabrication and installation of the artwork.

Prepare and conduct presentations as necessary to receive approvals.

Fabricate and install the artistic work (i.e. statues, sculpture, etc.) that will be incorporated into Chuck Brown Memorial Park (formerly Langdon Park).

Provide an artwork maintenance plan for the proposed design.

Budget

The design and artwork fabrication and installation budget is $325,500, which must include site specific design honorarium, artists’ fees (no more than 10% of fabrication budget), and costs associated with design, fabrication, transportation, shipping, installation, insurance, engineered drawings, permits and photo documentation of the artwork.

Each Semi-Finalist will be awarded a $1,500 honorarium to create a site-specific design proposal to include a 2-d schematic design, 3-d scale model, itemized budget, implementation schedule, and project narrative that they will present to the Art Selection Panel.

Selection Process

DCCAH will convene an Art Selection Panel, representing diverse interests and expertise, to review the qualifications of artists who respond to this call. The Art Selection Panel will review proposals/work samples submitted by the artists or design teams and recommend (3) three Semi-Finalists.

Each Semi-Finalist will be awarded a $1,500 honorarium to create a site-specific design proposal to include a 2-d schematic design, 3-d scale model, itemized budget, implementation schedule, and project narrative that they will present to the Art Selection Panel on Friday, January 17th. The selection panel will review designs and recommend (1) one finalist for the project.

The design proposal and the selection panel’s recommendations will be forwarded to DCCAH Board of Commissioners for review and approval. The artist whose design is approved will then enter into an agreement with DCCAH for fabrication and installation of the artwork. The artist/team will then, if necessary, subcontract for the work of the artwork fabricator and
installer.

Upon approval of the designs, the final artist and DCCAH will determine the best strategy for final documentation (stamped drawings, shop drawings), fabrication and installation of the artwork.

Artist & Artist Team Evaluation Criteria

The lead of the design team must be a practicing professional artist, supported by a team of design professionals.

Artistic and design excellence, innovation and originality as evidenced by representations of past work and other supporting material. The aesthetic sensibility of both the artist and design professional (s) on the team will be considered.

The artist’s work is judged to strengthen the District’s collection of public artwork.

The design team’s professional experience is adequate to meet the demands of the project.

The design team is available to participate in the design, approval and implementation of the project as required and will be available to participate in public meetings to present their proposal.

Assessed ability to meet project deadlines, and to perform work in a timely and professional manner.

Assessed ability of the design team to create a memorial of lasting significance.

Results of professional reference checks.

Submission RequirementsFor Artists:

Application Form
If you would prefer to type your information, please follow the following: Include your full Legal Name (and other Professional Name as applicable), Address, Daytime Telephone, Evening Telephone, Email Address.

A Cover Letter describing how this project relates to your past work/and supports your current portfolio as well as the approach you would employ in conducting the project. This letter should not exceed two (2) pages.

Current artistic Resume highlighting experience with site-specific work and public art commissions.

One well developed, written Design Concept for the proposed artwork. This should not exceed one (1) page.

A 2-D Schematic Concept creation of the proposed artwork.

Work Sample that consists of up to 10 Digital images of previous artwork. Digital images should be uploaded through the online application platform, SlideRoom, and submitted as jpgs. Submit only “High” quality jpgs (do not use gifs, tiffs or other formats). Each file must be labeled with a number indicating the viewing order, followed by the artist’s last name. The numbers must correspond to the accompanying Image List. Example: 01_Jones; 02_Jones. If using Mac OS 8 or 9 include a “.jpg” extension at the end of each image. Example: 01_Jones.jpg. All images will be viewed on PCs, not Macs. Do not embed images into PowerPoint or submit moving images or audio files.

The names of three professional References with current contact information including phone numbers and email addresses.

For Design Teams:

In Addition to the Application Form, Cover Letter, Resume, Written Concept, 2-D Schematic Design, Image List and References, Please Adhere to the Following:

Work Samples should consist of a total of 20 DIGITAL images of previous artwork. Please include the artist’s or designer’s name in the title of each work.

The Artist member is required to submit 10 images.

The Design Professional member(s) are required to submit 10 images in total.

All design members included on the team should submit examples of their work.

Other Requirements
The artist/team selected and approved by the DCCAH Board of Commissioners shall be required to enter into contract with DCCAH for the duration of the project. Throughout the duration of the contract, the artist, design team and the artist’s subcontractors, will be required to maintain license and carry professional liability insurance.

Publicity

DCCAH will produce a dedication ceremony brochure and include Artist information on the DCCAH website and social media outlets. A weather-proof plaque/label with pertinent information and DCCAH approved text will be installed along with the artwork.

DCCAH has the right to photograph the artwork for educational purposes, brochures and other publicity. In all printed materials, DCCAH will make every effort to credit the artist. All copyrights remain with the artist.

DCCAH will host a pubic dedication ceremony on August 22, 2014 upon installation of the artwork and completion of the park.

Submission Deadline

Submissions must be received by: 11:59PM on Friday, October 11, 2013.

How to Apply

Please follow the link http://dcarts.slideroom.com to upload all requisite materials for the Chuck Brown Project Application. In order to access the application portal, all applicants or applicant teams will first be prompted to create a SlideRoom account, at no cost. Once logged into the newly created account, applicants will be allowed to submit all materials outlined above in this Call to Artists. SlideRoom will allow applicants to save incomplete applications and return to them for completion until 11:59PM on the Friday, October 11, 2013 deadline. Any incomplete submissions at that time will be disqualified.

The cost for each application ranges between $5 and $10 (dependent upon the number of uploaded images) and is payable online at the end of the SlideRoom application.